Hello all. My name is Chris. I was born in 1984. I am a textbook hardcore gamer, and have been since the day my mother handed me an Atari 2600 joystick at about age four. I have an extensive collection of games and hardware that contains over 900 pieces that I keep fully inventoried in list and spreadsheet formats. I am also a huge film buff, and am probably that guy you hate to watch a movie with because he thinks too much about things.

I have done my fair share of time in video game retail. Four and a half years working at, and weekend-managing a Microplay, and about a year and a half wishing I was dead (aka. working) at a Gamestop. I am a compulsive reader of game journalism, both here on Destructoid and on various other sites. Friends and coworkers tell me that they have never met anyone who knows as much about the industry as me, or who can talk as well and passionately about it. It may be a big stretch to say that exactly, but I do believe my love and understanding of games, if anything, is clear when you talk to me. I hope you feel that way too when you read my writing! I have a degree in Interdisciplinary History/Government from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Although I am currently employed in the purchasing and Accts. Payable department of an electrical construction company, it is my sincerest dream to eventually make writing and possibly teaching about popular culture topics (film, video games, tv, etc.) a full-time occupation. I dabble in my own fantasy-fiction stuff, and am working hard to perfect methods for analytically writing about games in the manner that one would a book or film.

I am an absolute toy nut. I have loads of action figures all over my place, and many many more stored away in an attic that there just simply isn't enough room to display. I obviously love to scarf up any game related toys that I can. Specifically, I find Japanese Gashapon (capsule toys) by Yujin to be particularly worth wasting money on. My primary focus, however, is on robots. I have a wall of Transformers, a glass case full of hand-painted Gundam models, and a load of Lego Bionicles.

Reading is also a huge part of my life. I love to be informed, and get super into philosophy. I regularly alternate between classics like Dickens, Lewis, Carol and Twain, to violent pulp fantasy. I have a particular soft spot for novels based in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40K universe.

Finally, I am a cheesball hopeless romantic, and am a member on like 40 bajillion dating sites. Of course, the ultimate would be to snag a nice gamer girl, but as there are so very few around where I live, I simply don't see it happening.

That about sums me up. If you want to know more. Feel free to message me. I'm serious about being as big a part as I can of the gamer community!

It seems that if you are even remotely serious about blogging here on Destructoid, you simply have to post pictures of your personal collection/setup. Without further ado, I give you what is commonly referred to by my friends and I as the "Nerd Dungeon." There are over 900 pieces in my gaming collection, which I keep fully inventoried. If anyone would like the complete to-date list, let me know, and I will post it. Also, keep in mind that I am terrible at any form of photography, and these pictures are awful.

This is the main setup in the center of the living room. I keep the PS3, Wii, XB360, and cable for the PSP hooked up at all times. The switchbox that I purchased has an additional composite and component up front, so I can just hook anything else up conveniently.
The shelves here house the following games:
- PS3
- Wii
- NES
- PC Engine (CD & HuCard)
- PC-FX
- Neo Geo (AES & MVS Carts)
- Sega CD
- Saturn
- Dreamcast
- N64
- My Castlevania collection, which I keep separate, as it is my favorite series.
- XBox
- XBox360
- Gamecube

Here is a closeup of the system shelves on the main setup, with the glass doors open.
From the top left, to bottom right, you can see:
- PC-Engine Duo R
- Dreamcast (1 of 2, the other is kept boxed in a closet . . . for emergencies)
- Neo-Geo AES (with REI high-def mod from www.neotropolis.net)
- Saturn (switch-modded for imports)
- Genesis 2 + Sega CD
- SNES 2
- NES
- N64
- XBox

Here are some additional boxed systems and accessories that I do not keep out anymore. They are either, 1) obsolete, or 2) I just don't play them enough. I mainly took these out and snapped a picture so that you can see how awesome that the box for the PC-FX is.

Next to the main setup is a little alcove for my Rock Band stuff, and larger boxed accessories and game sets.

In the corner next to that is the Genesis & PS2 games.

My extremely modest computer. I am not really into PC gaming. You can see a smattering of games up top there. Mostly Warhammer 40K and Blizzard stuff.